Association of batteries and supercapacitors to

supply a micro-hybrid vehicle

N. Rizoug (*), G. Feld (**), B. Barbedette(*) and R. Sadoun(*)

(*) Laboratoire mcatronique
Ecole Suprieure des Techniques Aronautiques et de Construction Automobile
Rue Georges Charpak BP76121, 53061 LAVAL Cedex 9 France
(**) Ecole normale suprieure (ENS Cachan)
61, avenue du prsident Wilson 94235 Cachan cedex

E_mail : Nassim.rizoug@estaca.fr

Abstract- In this article the association of batteries and
supercapacitors to supply a micro-hybrid vehicle will be
presented. The specific power of the supercapacitors and its high
lifetime (1 million of cycles) makes it very attractive for the high
power applications. Unfortunately, the specific energy of this
component is very low. For that this technology is associated
with battery to supply the starter-alternator. Before the
simulation and the validation of results, an identification of the
starter alternator parameters is made. After that, the load
torque generated by the ICE during the startup phase is
computed. In the next part, all the hybrid energy supply (HES)
is simulated using Matlab-Simulink software. In the last part,
the validation of the HES supply for startup and the charging of
the storage systems (battery and supercapacitor) when the
vehicle is turned on.
I. INTRODUCTION
Until In the case of micro-hybrid vehicles, the storage
system is sized to ensure the maximum power at the startup
phase, this power can reaches 3kW. The sizing of the storage
component according to these power stresses give us a battery
pack with a very high energy compared to that required for
this application. To reduce the weight of the storage system
another high power component like supercapacitor can be
used. This last one is associated to battery to ensure the high
power demands. The battery in this case is used just to ensure
the energy needed to this application. This solution allows to
decrease the weight of the supply and ameliorates the lifetime
of the battery[1]-[2]-[3]-[4]-[5].


Fig. 1. Using the hybrid supply with starter or starter-alternator

In the case of micro-hybrid vehicles, when the ICE is
turned-on, this last one charges the storage system (battery
and supercapacitor) through the starter-alternator generator.
On the other hand, the power needed to the startup is ensured
by the supercapacitors module. This last one is charged by the
battery at low power. This paper deals with the simulation of
hybrid power supply for the micro-hybrid vehicle. The power
system is composed with battery and supercapacitor
associated through a chopper.
This paper deals with the simulation of hybrid power
supply for the micro-hybrid vehicle. The power system is
composed with battery and supercapacitor associated through
a chopper. To simulate the association of the hybrid supply
with starter-alternator, we must compute the load torque
developed by the ICE during the startup phase. In the next
part of this paper, the chosen topology of the hybrid supply
will be presented. This chose allows us to size supercapacitor
and battery packs. All the starter-alternator parameters are
identified making some tests on the starter-alternator of C3
car. Finaly, the simulation of all the system is made using
Matlab-Simulink software for the startup phase and when the
engine is turned-on and charge the battery.
II. TOPOLOGY OF THE POWER SYSTEM
The hybrid storage system (battery and supercapacitors)
supply the starter-alternator through an inverter. Two
topologies can be used to associate the battery and the
supercapacitors: in series or parallel. For this last
configuration, the two components are connected to the DC
link through two choppers. In the series configuration (fig. 2),
the supercapacitors is charged by the battery or/and the ICE
and discharged during the high power demand (startup).
Conv.1
DC/DC
Battery SuperCaps
L Starter-Alternator
ICE
Hybrid supply (HES)
Conv.2
DC/AC

Fig. 2. The transmission between the starter and the engine
978-1-61284-247-9/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE
III. LOAD TORQUE AT THE STARTUP PHASE (ICE
TORQUE)
To simulate the association of the hybrid supply with
starter-alternator, the load torque developed by the ICE
during the startup phase must be identified. The method used
to estimate this torque is explained in the paper presented in
VPPC 2010. For this study, the load torque is estimated for
classic vehicle. In this case, the torque estimated at the starter
shaft can expressed using this formula:

_
4.2 3 5.9sin(0.190* )+1
ICE starter starter starter
T E = +
(1)

Knowing the gears values between the ICE and the starter
(kstarter_ICE) and that between the ICE and the starter-
alternator, the load torque generate by the engine on the
starter-alternator shaft can written us follow:

_ _
_
10, 2.
0.1 30sin( )+5
starter ICE starteralternator ICE
ICE starter starter alternator starter alternator
k k
T

= +

(2)

The rippled form of the ICE torque is due to the
compression of this last on during the startup phase.

Sizing of the supercapacitors module for the startup
Suspercondensator is one of the most powerful components
with a high specific power [6]-[7]-[8]-[9]-[10], which can
reach 17kw/kg. The capacitance of this component exceeds
the 5000F for a lower voltage (3V). To use this component in
power applications, we must make some elements in series
[11]-[12]-[13].
supercapacitors sizing is based on the energy and power
required for the starting-up of the vehicle. Figure 3 presents
the waveform of the current and the voltage of the Buggy
starter at the starting-up phase. At the beginning of this phase,
the battery voltage deceases to reach 9V. At the same time,
the current exceeds the 250A. in this case the maximum
power reaches 2400W.

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Time (S)
p
o
w
e
r

(
W
)
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
3
6
9
12
15
V
o
l
t
a
g
e

(
V
)
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
100
200
300
400
500
Time (S)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

(
A
)
Current
Voltage
Fig. 3. Power and energy required for the starting-up of the vehicle

V V V V V
SuperCaps SuperCaps SuperCaps SuperCaps
30 2 2 /
min_ max_ max_ min_
= = = =


The power integral on all the starting-up duration allows us
to compute the energy required for this phase.

mWh dt P E
start start
250 = =

(3)
The supercapcitors efficiency reaches 80% for 250A of
RMS current.

By the neglecting of the inverter losses, the startup energy
can be written as follow:


2
max_
2
min_
2
max_
10
3
) (
2
1
SuperCaps sc SuperCaps SuperCaps sc sc start
V C V V C E = =
(4)


F
V
E
C
start
sc
34 , 3
30
900
3
10
3
10
2 2
max
= =

(5)

The best component for this application can be chosen
using the characteristics of all Maxwell cells. The element
2,5V/310F gives us the best compromise between the power
and the energy of the component.
; 5 , 2 ; 310 V V F C
component component
= =
1 ; 12 = =
Branches series en elements
N N (6)
; 26 ; 1 = = m RMS l Volume

To reach 30V for the supercapacitors module, we must
make 12 elements in series, what give a capacitance module
about 26F:

26F
12
310F
mod
= =
ule
C

(7)

With this component, we can make 8 starting-up without
reloading the component:

up starting
F
F
N
start
= 8
34 , 3
26


IV. SIMULATION OF THE SYSTEM
Before the development of the test bench for this
application, a simulation of the operated system is carried out
using Matlab-Simulink software. In this case an inverter is
used to supply the starter-alternator. The velocity of this last
one is controlled to reach the set point value (70 rd/S). The
system operates for the two phases:

- Startup of the vehicle.
-ICE charges the two storage system (battery and
supercapacitors) when the vehicle is turned-on

In the next parts the two cases will be modelled using
Matlab-Simulink software.

A. Simulation of the vehicle startup
Figure 4 shows the model of the startup system developed
using Simulink software. The starter alternator is supplied by
three phase voltages and its shaft is submitted to the load
torque generates by the engine during the startup. On the
other hand, Hall sensors are integrated into starter-alternator
to acquire the position of this last one. To control the starter-
alternator velocity, the currents of two phases are acquired
using two sensors.

The inverter which controls the power is connected
between the hybrid supply and the starter-alternator. During
the startup phase, the velocity of this last one is controlled to
reach the set-point value (70 rd/s).


Fig. 4.Simulation of the vehicle startup

To avoid the angular representation, the starter-alternator is
modeled with two phases inputs/outputs (d,q). The model is
transformed into three phases inputs/outputs using the Park's
transformations. The rotoric current and the load torque generates by
the ICE are considered also like inputs. The starter alternator
equations can written as follow:

( )
3
2
sd
sd a sd sd sq sq
sq
sq a sq sq sd sd af f
em af f sq sd sq sd sq
di
V R i L p L i
dt
di
V R i L p L i k p M I
dt
C p k M I I L L I I
= +
= + + +

= +

(8)

Fig. 5. Model of the starter-alternator

The starter-alternator parameters ( Lsd, Lsq, Ra, Maf) are
identified making some tests. The supplying of the two phases of the
starter-alternator by high frequency signal (20 kHz) allows to
compute the values of the two inductances Lsd and Lsq.



Fig. 6. Identification of the machine inductances
To calculate the parameter Maf, the starter alternator is rotated at
constant velocity with the variation of the rotoric current. In this
case, the value of the voltage between two phases can expressed as
follow:

2
2 3 2 3
af f
ab ab
af
f
p M I
U U
M
f p I

= =
(9)

Table 1 present the values of the starter-alternator parameters:





Parameter Value unit
Lsd 40 H
Lsq 40 H
Ra 13.3 m
Maf 2.5 mH
Table 1. Starter alternator parameters
The inverter is modeled using the formulas between the
starter-alternator voltages (Vas,Vbs and Vcs) and the control
of the semiconductors (K1,K2 and K3):
1
2
3
2 1 1
1 2 1
3
1 1 2
as
bus
bs
cs
V K
U
V K
K V


=



(10)
The voltage of the Dc link is also one of the inputs for the inverter
model. On the other hand, this model imposes the current of the
hybrid supply. For this last one, the two storage systems (battery and
supercapacitors) are connected between them through a chopper.


Fig. 7. Model of the hybrid supply

The simplified R-C model is used for the supercapacitors
and the battery is modeled using the Shepherd model


Fig. 8. R-C supercapacitors
model


Fig. 9. Shepherd model of the battery
- Simulation results
To turn-on the vehicle, the velocity of the starter-alternator
is controlled to reach the set point value (70rd/s). During this
phase, the supercapacitor discharge. Figure 10 presents the
waveform of the starter-alternator velocity (real velocity) and
that estimated using the hall sensor. This figure shows also
that the starter-alternator velocity reaches the set-point value
after 0.1 s.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
-20
0
20
40
60
80
Time (s)
V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
r
d
/
s
)

Fig. 10. Velocity of the starter-alternator


Figure 11 presents the waveform of the electric angle and
that estimated using the hall signals. This result shows the
deference between the real value of the electric angle and that
estimated for the low velocity. After that the estimation gives
almost the real value.

0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Time (s)
T
h
e
t
a

(
r
d
)

Fig. 11. Angle of the starter-alternator

Figure 12 presents the evolution of starter-alternator
current during the startup phase. This result shows that the
current for the startup phase reach 555A.

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
-800
-600
-400
-200
0
200
400
600
Time (s)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

(
A
)

Fig. 12. Current of the starter-alternator

B. Simulation of the electric power generation
In this case, the voltage of the battery is controlled to reach
the set point value (13V). During this time, the state of charge
increases (fig. 13).
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
12.2
12.6
13
13.4
13.6 13.6 13.6
B
a
t
t
e
r
y

V
o
l
t
a
g
e

(
V
)
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
90
90.05
90.1
90.15
90.2
Time (s)
S
t
a
t
e

o
f

C
h
a
r
g
e

S
O
C

(
%
)

Fig. 13. Evolution of the SOC and the battery voltage
The ICE drive the starter-alternator and this last one
provide the power needed to charge the battery (fig. 14 and
15).
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
Time (S)
S
t
a
r
t
e
r
-
A
l
t
e
r
n
a
t
o
r

C
u
r
r
e
n
t


(
A
)

Fig. 14. Waveform of the phase current during the power generation phase
(during 2 seconds)
1.8 1.82 1.84 1.86 1.88 1.9 1.92 1.94 1.96 1.98 2
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
Time (S)
S
t
a
r
t
e
r
-
A
l
t
e
r
n
a
t
o
r

C
u
r
r
e
n
t


(
A
)

Fig. 15. Waveform of the current during the power generation phase (during
0.2 seconds )
V. CONCLUSION
The batteries used for the micro-hybrid vehicles have very
high specific energy. Unfortunately, the power of this
technology is very low compared to other technologies (Ni-
Mh, Li-Ion,). The association of battery for this application
(micro-hybrid) with powerful component like supercapacitors
can decrease the weight of the battery and/or ameliorate the
lifetime of the supply. In this paper, hybrid supply for micro-
hybrid vehicle has been presented. In this case, two storage
components are used: supercapacitors like power supply and
battery like energy supply. The power density of
supercapacitors makes them very interesting for the
applications which need high power during short time.

Two architectures are possible to implement the association
of supercapacitors and battery: a parallel architecture by
connecting the two sources to DC bus through two choppers.
The drawback of this architecture is the very large size of the
induction coil in series with the supercapacitor module. In the
case of series architecture, the size of the induction coil used
to smooth the battery current is less important because of the
weakness of the current charge/discharge.

After the choose of the architecture of the power supply
and the identification of the load torque, the parameters of the
starter-alternator are identified. In the next part, the sizing of
the two storage system (battery and supercapacitors) is
presented.

Matlab-simulink software is used to simulate the supplying of
the starter-alternator by the hybrid supply through an inverter.
The association of battery and supercapacitors is made using
a boost chopper. For the startup phase, the velocity of the
starter-alternator is controlled to follow the set point value
(70rd/s). The results of the simulation will be presented in the
final paper.

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